Bottlecap help

If any of you make bottlecap art I need help!! I want to make a bunch with pirate pictures like "treasure" for my daughters 5th party. I bought some flattened bottlecaps and epoxy stickers on etsy and some modge lodge glue. I tried to make some today and the used the glue at the base and over the picture. I waited about 30 minutes for it to dry and then used to epoxy stickers on top. I could see swirls and whirls where I presume the glue was. I read somewhere that you use the glue to seal the picture. For those of you that make these what is the best/easiest way to make them look nice. Thanks :)